Shoe form



June 22, 1943.

R. E. WOODARD- ETAL SHOE FORM Filed June 4, 1942 v 2 IJNVENTOR. ROGER E. woopmw qusr/N c. MHcLEH/V A TTORNEYS' Patented June 22, 1943 I SHOE FORM Roger E. Woodard, Campello, and Austin 0. MacLean, Braintree, Mass, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Robert Channing Company,

East Bridgewater, Mass,

Massachusetts a corporation of Application June 4, 1942, Serial No 445,700

8 Claims.

This invention relates to shoe forms and is of immediate importance as affording production of an all-wood structure. The present urgency of conserving metal has made a new demand on the ingenuity of the manufacturer. I-Ieretofore all sorts of metal form members and metal connecting parts were used in great variety to get desired shoe forms which are now not possible to manufacture because their metal is needed elsewhere.

One of our concepts is a shoe form having all the advantages of the old shoe forms or stretchers not intended for use in the manufacture or actual fabrication of footwear.

The problem under this particular concept was to get non-metallic parts that would be serviceable, durable, operatively efficient and economical to use. It is highly desirable that all such forms be easily handled from the rear member so as to be enterable in a shoe without lateral looseness and with the parts relatively steady in their mutual mounting.

As illustrative of our invention in solution of this problem, we show a sturdy all-wood form of high serviceability and attractive appearance.

Throughout the specification and drawing like reference numerals are employed to indicate corresponding parts, and in the drawing Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a shoe form in retracted condition.

Fig. 2 is a side View of the same, and

Fig. 3 shows a fragmentary side View of such a shoe form in extended condition.

As shown in the drawing, our shoe forms comprise a pair of fore and heel members I and 2 which may be of wood or like material. They preferably have a mutual transverse cylindric depression zone 3 which provides at the top of the form convenient accessibility to the operating lever A and the setting pawl 5. Beneath the depressed zone 3 the members i and 2 have interior opposite faces. These may be variously contoured and positioned, but as shown, that on the fore member I has a transverse rounded rearwardly disposed end '6, while the front face of the rear member 2 is slightly undercut as at 8, the cut forming the two faces being vertically sinuous or slightly S-shaped. The rearwardly disposed end 6 of the fore part has a relatively broad slot l extending vertically and slightly forwardly to intersect the depression 3 formed between the fore and aft members. The fore part of the shoe form is vertically slotted by upwardly tapered saw cuts X in such a manner as to obtain maximum ventilation by reason of its extended surface exposed on the sole face to dry out or keep tempered a shoe or its lining after use or in a new shoe while on display.

The clearance face on the heel member 2 has its undercut end 8 vertically slotted as at H. The relatively broad nearly slot-wide lever 4 is freely pivotally dowelled at 9 at its lower end transversely in the rounded rear end 6 of the forward member and is also pivotally dowelled at Ill between its ends transversely through the walls of the slot l I' through the overhang, caused by the undercut of the front of the rear member 2. The lever 4 provides a double key against relative twisting of the parts when about to be inserted in a shoe by reason of its engagement in the slots 1 and H in both parts of the form.

The lever 4 preferably has a flat forward face 4' having transverse cuts forming notches M. The notches M are selectively engageable by the broad pawl member 5 pivotally dowelled as at I2 adjacent the upper part of the vertical slot 1 through the rear interior portion of the fore member I. The pawl 5 has a peaked or beveled end '5' adjustably engageable in the transverse notches M on the flat face 6 of the lever for holding the lever separation or expansion of the members I and 2. The upper end of the lever 4 extends to and slightly above the upper levels of said heel and fore members so as to be easily operable but not liable to accidental movements.

For an all-wood form a turned wooden knob piece I3 is provided for convenience in handling the form. The knob piece 13 is preferably a shank I3" glued or otherwise vertically fixed in the heel member. Such a wooden knob is finished as desired in the same or contrasting color to the other wooden parts, which are usually sanded, rubbed, stained and polished to make all wood articles really more beautiful and artistic than like articles having plated or otherwise expensively finished metal parts. I

In the foregoing description and discussion we have laidspecial emphasis on wood as a desirable materialv of a character not necessary for defense, but it will be understood that these parts may be of fibre, moldable synthetic resins or like material not necessary for the service.

At the end of the emergency shortage we may use parts of metal, such as pins which have a driving fit, in place of dowels. Other. parts of metal may be substituted if and when they become available.

In our present shoe form as shown in the drawing, the operation of the wooden lever and pawl is found efiicient for such service as these articles l. A shoe form including a fore member and r a heel member having interior opposite clearance faces, that on the fore member having a relatively broad slot extending vertically thereof the clearance face on the heel member having a vertically slotted undercut, a relatively broad le ver pivoted at its lower end transversely in the rear end of the fore part and pivoted between its ends transversely through the walls of the slot of said undercut of the heel member, said lever having a fiat forward face having transverse notches, a relatively broad pawl member pivoted in the upper part of the vertical slot of the rear interior face of the fore member, and having a transversely beveled end adjustably engageable in said transverse notches of said lever member for holding lever separation of the members, the upper end of said lever extending to and slightly above the upper levels of said heel and fore members.

2. A shoe form including a fore member and a heel member having across their mutual upper surface areas a transverse cylindric depression and interior opposite clearance faces, that on the fore member having a transverse rounded end at its rear and having a relatively broad slot extending vertically thereof, the clearanceface on the heel member having a vertically slotted undercut, a relatively broad lever pivoted at its lower end transversely in the rounded rear end of the fore part and pivoted between its ends transversely through the walls of the slot of said undercut of the heel member, said lever having a flat forward face having transverse notches, a relatively broad pawl member pivoted in the upor part of the vertical slot of the rear interior face of the fore member, and having a trans versely beveled end adjustably engageable in said transverse notches of said lever member for holding lever separation of the members, the upper end of said lever extending to and slightly above the cylindric depression.

3. An all-wood shoe form including a fore member and a heel member having interior opposite clearance faces, that on the fore member having a relatively broad slot extending vertically thereof, the clearance face on the heel member having a vertically slotted undercut, a relatively broad lever pivotally dowelled at its lower end transversely in the rear end of the fore part and pivotally dowelled between its ends transversely through the walls of the slot of said undercut of the heel member, said lever having a flat forward face having transverse notches, a, relatively broad pawl member pivotally dowelled in the upper part of the vertical slot of the rear interior face of the fore member, and having a transversely beveled end adjustably engageable in said transverse notches of said lever member for holding lever separation of the members, the upper end of said lever extending to and slightly above the upper levels of said heel and fore members,

and a wooden handling piece fixed vertically of the heel member.

4. An all-wood shoe form including a fore member and a heel member having across their mutual upper surface areas a transverse cylindric depression and interior opposite clearance faces, that on the fore member having a transverse rounded end at its rear and having a relatively broad slot extending vertically thereof, the clearance face on the heel member having a vertically slotted undercut, a relatively broad lever pivotally dowelled at its lower end transversely in the rounded rear end of the fore part and pivotally dowelled between its ends transversely through the walls of the slot of said undercut of the heel member, said lever having a flat forward face having transverse notches, a relatively broad pawl member pivotally dowelled in the upper part of the vertical slot of the rear interior face of the fore member, and having a transversely beveled end adjustably engageable in said transverse notches of said lever member, for holding lever separation of the members, the upper end of said lever extending to and slightly above the cylindric depression, and a wooden knob piece having a shank fixed vertically of the heel member.

5. An all-wood shoe form including a fore member and a heel member, a relatively broad lever pivotally dowelled at its lower end transversely in the rear end of the fore member and pivotally dowelled between its ends in the forward portion of the heel member, said lever having broad transverse notches, a relatively broad pawl member pivoted to the rear interior face of the fore member and having its end adjustably engageable in said transverse notches of said lever member for holding lever separation of the members.

6. A shoe form including a fore member and a heel member, a relatively broad lever pivoted at its lower end transversely in the rear end of one member and pivoted between its ends in the opposite portion of the other member, said lever having broad transverse notches, a relatively broad pawl member pivoted to the interior face of said other member and having its end adjustably engageable in said transverse notches of said lever member for holding lever separation of the members.

'7. A shoe form including a fore member and a heel member, a lever pivoted at its lower end transversely in the rear end of one member and pivoted between its ends in the opposite portion of the other member, said lever having transverse notches, a pawl member pivoted to the interior face of said other member and having its end adjustably engageable in said transverse notches of said lever member for holding lever separation of the members.

8. A shoe form including a fore member and a heel member, a lever transversely pivoted at one end in one member and transversely pivoted between its ends to the other member so that actuation of said lever moves said members towards or away from each other to adjust the length of the form, and means carried by one of said members and said lever to establish a ratchet interlock to maintain the members in their adjusted position.

' ROGER E. WOODARD.

AUSTIN C. MACLEAN. 

